Education.Co-op: A Nudge to the Future

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62695/DKUN8376

Keywords:

Cooperatives in education, Cooperative schools, Vision, Ethos, Community, School autonomy, Democracy in schools, Collective consciousness, Transformative leadership, Emancipatory education, Wellbeing

Abstract

The role of education is one which transforms. In a capitalist neo-liberal environment, the consuming and competitive individual is cast as the protagonist at the expense of communities that struggle for a common good. Especially in the global north, this is exacerbated by lifestyles and leisure patterns which have been heavily influenced by the onslaught of digital technologies, fragmenting to a considerable degree the physical community and the spaces for social interaction strongly associated with wellbeing. This is evident in a number of trends in society at large, including the organization of labour, which pits workers against each other, eroding solidarity, and dissipating class consciousness. In this context, many educators try their best to provide hope, a sense of belonging, and a struggle for justice. This they do despite being considered pegs to plug holes in a system struggling to cope, and where knowledge is considered technical and practical, rather than emancipatory. A cooperative model which provides a greater sense of belonging, an ethos underpinned by social justice and democratic principles, and ultimately a sense of trust and wellbeing, will be proposed. This model can provide a sound but permeable matrix which empowers educators collectively and provides a better community experience for a diversity of learners.

Author Biographies

Mario Mallia, Institute for Education

Mario Mallia is currently a full-time lecturer at the Institute for Education, focusing on critical pedagogy, gender, and science education. He was Head of a primary and secondary school for sixteen years, a deputy head and a teacher of science. He holds a Master’s degree in Education, a postgraduate diploma in School Administration and Management, and a Bachelor in Education (Hons) degree from the University of Malta. He served, inter alia, as a board member of the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality and the Foundation of Educational Services for many years, besides, to date, being active in the political and social fields.

Bernard Cauchi, Secretariat for Catholic Education Malta

Bernard Cauchi, an educator with almost 25 years of experience, currently teaches History and Mediterranean Experience at St Albert the Great College in Valletta. Additionally, he serves as Head of Department for History and Social Studies at the Secretariat for Catholic Education. Bernard read for a Master’s in Comparative Education with Prof. Ronald Sultana and is engaged in the realms of education, politics, and what falls in between.

Andrew Camilleri, Sacred Heart College

Andrew Camilleri is an educator with over 12 years of experience, currently serving as Assistant Head at Sacred Heart College in the senior sector. His specialization lies in multicultural inclusion and awareness, having read a Master’s in Culturally Responsive Education. Andrew’s worldview and perspective draws inspiration from education’s social justice giants, most notably Paolo Freire, Hannah Arendt, and Lorenzo Milani. 

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Published

05-05-2024

How to Cite

Mallia, M., Cauchi, B., & Camilleri, A. (2024). Education.Co-op: A Nudge to the Future. Malta Journal of Education, 4(1), 66–85. https://doi.org/10.62695/DKUN8376

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